theshipyard | ✨ .//. Piper McLean » Percy Jackson: Heroes of Olympus

[ Adrien felt his phone buzz a million times throughout his prolonged photoshoot, but he knew better than to check it. Even in between shots, while the camera crew was still setting up and he had time—Gabriel was very strict, and Adrien just didn't want to upset him, rebellious though he could be.

Just this once, though. Just this once, he kind of wishes he had. If he had checked his phone, even just once, he would have seen Piper's messages. Maybe he wouldn't have been able to leave, but at least he could have responded.

Now it's late. Now she's not responding.

"Come on, kid," Plagg says, after Adrien hung up his third call attempt. "Won't you see her tomorrow?"

"She said her dad left," Adrien replies, frowning. "I gotta check on her."

Plagg mumbled something that was muffled by the cloth of his jacket. Adrien kept up the pace, alternating between walking and running as he navigated the crowds of Paris.

At least the McLean house wasn't hard to spot. ]

[ The only thing about her old life that's really, truly, vividly clear is the negative emotion she'd felt at the time she was turned. Holding onto the hurt and frustration and anger is easy, too easy, and it's all she can think about.

Now she has two goals: Get the Miraculous from Ladybug and Car Noir and get to the airport to stop her father from leaving. If she has to make him listen she'll slam him with memories until he either comes around, or is too lost in nostalgia to care about anything else. Failing that she'll just have to make him stay put for once. Where Piper McLean had failed, Memento is determined to succeed, and gods have pity on anyone stupid enough to get in her way.

She'd just finished negotiating with Hawkmoth over name changes as Adrien raced towards the mansion. Unfortunately he was already too late by then. Villainous laughter echoes down to the streets below from where Memento stands perched atop a cafe rooftop, the same cafe where Piper had bought crepes for she and Adrien's second not-date. She doesn't notice any particular faces jumping out at her in the crowd at first, a fact that becomes obvious as she addresses them at large. ]

People of Paris, I hope you didn't make any big plans for tonight, because it's time for ALL of you to take a nice, long stroll down memory lane!

Edited 2018-06-23 19:31 (UTC)

[ It doesn't entirely surprise him to find that her house is vacant and dark. He does sneak around for a while, hoping to find some kind of clue, but it's not long before he hears the commotion coming from the cafe further down the street.

...It doesn't even register as "That One Cafe We Went to on Our Second Totally-Not-A-Date." He simply sprints for it, arriving just in time to hear her announcement to the city.

......Seriously? ]

Piper...

[ Adrien frowns. His voice doesn't carry, and there is nothing dramatic or over-the-top about it. Her name is said in disbelief and regret as Plagg finds his way out of Adrien's jacket, and he looks to his companion desperately.

"Buddy, tell me I'm not seeing this," Adrien says.

"Oh, you're seeing it," Plagg answers helpfully. "Also, you'd better transform."

Adrien sighs, holding up his hand adorned with his Miraculous as he takes some steps back away from the crowd. ]

[ Memento doesn't immediately spot the familiar face in the crowd, and instead her attention is focused on random civilians. To have it her way she'd go after Tristan first, but while she disagrees with Hawkmoth on the matter of who's in charge of whom, she also knows that if she doesn't prioritize the cat and the bug will show up to foil her plans. Better to deal with them first and double back to McLean.

The first set of victims that she zaps immediately begin to experience a range of reactions, some looking overwhelmingly happy, another angry, a third terrified, and a fourth hopelessly smitten. She was just about to move onto the next area when a familiar head of blond caught her attention. Just in time, too, as she barely manages to dodge out of the way, back flipping to land atop a chimney stack when a metal bo staff moves to block her path. Once she has her balance she looks towards the source and smirks. ]

Cat Noir, just the cat I was looking for. And here I was worried I'd have to break out the cream and catnip to get you to come play.

[ ~~If Piper was in her right mind she'd be groaning and rolling her eyes SO HARD right now.~~ ]

[ There are some days he doesn't even register the transformation process; he's done it so many times. Today was one of those days.

He's too late to save the first set of victims, but he doesn't have time to worry about that. Before Memento can zap another, the metal staff will indeed block her. As quickly as it happened, it extends, and Cat Noir leaps playfully, doing a backflip to place some distance between them. ]

Well, pawdon me. So sorry to keep you waiting, ma chère, but you know cheap tricks like that won't work on me.

Why not play nice instead? We can talk about this!

[ Because, you know, this has gone so well before with past akumas. ]

Playing nice is overrated. I'm more of a rough and tumble kind of girl. If you really want to sweet talk me, you'll take me to Tristan McLean and hand over your miraculous.

[ So about as well as usual, but hey, A for effort! To be fair it might've worked if that was what she wanted. As it is, what she wants is bound for the airport. ]

If you can't handle that, maybe you should call it quits while you're ahead, kitten! Now which will it be?

[ Cat shakes his head, which is punctuated with "Tsk tsk tsks," and the waving of his metal staff, like he's wagging his finger. ]

I'm no quitter, and I'm definitely not handing over my miraculous. That won't work for me.

How about an option C? I like that letter.

[ The victim Cat saved quite wisely uses the opportunity to scamper off, and others who haven't been victimized yet follow his lead. He's still not sure what's happening with the ones he was too late to save, though.

She said she would send them on a tripe down memory lane, but just what were they seeing? Ladybug is so much better at figuring this stuff out. ]

Oh, sure. How does "captured" work for you as an option C? Or "captivated" maybe?

[ She takes aim at him next, trying to hit him with her magic instead of the fleeing civilians. If she can catch him in a memory, maybe he'll make an easie r target. ]

Edited 2018-07-22 21:59 (UTC)

[ His reflexes are good.

He sees her taking aim, and waits for the last moment before leaping out of the way of her memory blast, landing on another rooftop nearby. ]

More like “cat-ivating.”

[ AND HE HAS THE GALL TO WINK AS HE CORRECTS HER BECAUSE. because.

Just smack him. ]

[ ~~INTERNAL SCREAMING~~ She actually stops long enough to stare at him, then glowers. ]

Oh that was terrible. You need to be punished for that one.

[ "Less horrendous wordplay, more Miraculous fetching, Memento! Or I'll take back your powers!"

Wow Hawkmoth what a freaking party pooper. If she has to put up with clawful puns she's going to make her own too. ]

Now come here like a good little kitten...

[ But she's not content to wait for him, chasing after him and trying to get in close range so that he won't be able to dodge her so easily. ]

[ He smirks. No matter how much she protests, if he gets her to make a pun, too, he always considers it a win. He continues keeping a careful eye on her, taking note of the way her expression briefly changes before coming after him again. He knows that Hawk Moth must communicate with his victims in some way, but...

Ah well. No time to contemplate that now. ]

You want to dance? Then let's dance, cherie.

[ His parkour really comes in handy here, though one thing still nags at him at the back of his mind as he keeps her at bay: he's going to need Ladybug. ]

It's not often I get to play the mouse in a cat-and-mouse game.

Enjoy it while you can!

[ He's too damned quick for her, though! Before Hawkmoth can decide he wants to try his hand at backseat Villain again Memento changes tact. She stops chasing with a smirk, turning her attention to the civilians on the street, most of whom are getting out of their cars to stop and take pictures, videos, or just drink it in with their eyes. A few are showing some good sense, running for the nearest buildings, but for the ones foolish enough to stand their ground-- ]

Looks like someone's feeling left out! Don't worry, plucky little Parisians, I'll give you a show.

[ She charges up another attack to snag a few more victims. Too late the people realize what's happening and begin to panic and try to run. Cat Noir will HAVE to stop running and stand and fight, unless he wants to see them caught up in her sway! ]

[ Once he’s gotten some distance, he activates the communicator in his weapon, trying to get a response from Ladybug. While waiting those precious seconds, however, even missing her address to the public, he hears panic begin to swell up, causing him to hit the brakes on his parkour and turn sharply.

Damn.

No time. He switches gears too, rushing back, spinning his pole defensively as he arrives back on scene in an attempt to deflect her blasts. ]

Ah-ah-ah! [ His tone ever playful— ] These aren’t the mice you’re looking for.

✨ .//. Piper McLean » Percy Jackson: Heroes of Olympus

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